The Þórsmörk bus season 2026

When did the Highland Bus to Þórsmörk run in 2026?

Outbound from 1 June to 20 September 2026, with return trips until 24 September. A second, afternoon departure ran from 20 June to 30 August.

Icelandia's Highland Bus timetable lists route HB01 "from 1/6 - 20/9". The morning bus started at the Reykjavík campsite and Dalur Hostel at 06:30, picked up at BSÍ at 07:00, then stopped in Selfoss, Hella and Hvolsvöllur before the F249 and the river crossings. It reached Húsadalur (Volcano Huts) at 10:30, Langidalur at 11:00 and Básar at 11:15.

The way back left Básar at 15:00, Langidalur at 15:15 and Húsadalur at 16:00, and pulled into BSÍ at 19:30. From 20 June to 30 August an extra afternoon bus left the Reykjavík campsite at 14:30, with an evening return from Básar at 20:00 that reached BSÍ at 23:30. That late bus suits hikers finishing the Laugavegur or Fimmvörðuháls: you can end a long walk and still sleep in Reykjavík.

How much did the Highland Bus cost, and what did the ticket cover?

From €77 per person one way. The ticket is the seat and nothing else: no guide, no pickup, and children under 135 cm cannot ride.

The Icelandia booking page prices the Reykjavík to Þórsmörk trip "From €77/person", lists the ride at about 5 hours, and includes only "Bus fare". Hotel pickup is extra. The minimum age is 6, and the page adds that children under 135 cm cannot travel because the buses have no child seats. Check heights before you book for a family.

Hikers could also send a bag ahead: 2,000 ISK per item, one 55x40x20 cm bag up to 10 kg plus a sleeping bag, delivered to Húsadalur, Langidalur or Básar. Handy if you walk the Laugavegur and want dry clothes waiting at the end.

What the €77 does not buy is anyone to explain the valley. The driver drops you at a hut and you are on your own until the return bus. For a first visit with a guide, the Midgard hike day costs $320 per person from Hvolsvöllur, May to October. Our price guide lays out every option.

Which other buses go to Þórsmörk?

Trex runs a summer bus from Reykjavík City Hall to Básar and Langidalur, and Southcoast Adventure runs a shuttle from Hvolsvöllur that kept going until 1 November.

Trex leaves Reykjavík City Hall (Vonarstræti 4) at 07:30 and the Laugardalur campsite at 07:45, stops in Hella and at the N1 in Hvolsvöllur, and reaches Básar at 11:00 and Langidalur at 11:15. It does not stop at Húsadalur. Passengers for Þórsmörk switch buses in Hella. Its page lists 15,900 ISK one way from Reykjavík and 31,800 ISK return, or 14,900 ISK one way from Hella or Hvolsvöllur, with 20% off for ages 6 to 15.

Southcoast Adventure's bus to Þórsmörk is the local option. It starts at the N1 in Hvolsvöllur, stops at its Brú base camp on road 249, and serves Húsadalur, Langidalur and Básar. Its 2026 schedule shows three buses a day from 1 June to 15 September and one bus (09:00 from Hvolsvöllur) in May and from 16 September to 1 November. A single costs 10,000 ISK, a round trip 19,500 ISK. If you reach Hvolsvöllur by Strætó, this is the cheapest way across the last 30 km.

Where did bus passengers sleep in Þórsmörk in 2026?

In three hut areas: Volcano Huts in Húsadalur, the Ferðafélag Íslands hut in Langidalur, and the Útivist hut in Básar, each with a campsite.

Volcano Huts in Húsadalur (the brand now also trades as Volcano Trails) is the only place with a restaurant and bar, plus the Þórsmörk Baths. Its reception and bar keep 08:00 to 23:00 hours from 1 April to 31 October.

In Langidalur, Ferðafélag Íslands runs Skagfjörðsskáli: 73 bunks on two floors, two kitchens, showers for a small fee, wardens from early May to early October, 17,000 ISK a night. The hut is locked in winter. FÍ is rebuilding it on the old foundation and plans to open the new hut in summer 2027, with a bigger dining room and indoor toilets.

Across the Krossá, Útivist's Básar hut sleeps 75 and has showers and a grill. Its campsite is open from June to September with no booking needed. Básar is the end of the Fimmvörðuháls trail from Skógar.

When will the 2027 Þórsmörk bus dates be published?

Icelandia had not published 2027 dates as of 16 October 2026. Trex already shows 18 June to 5 September 2027. Expect the season to start in June again.

The Icelandia page still carries the summer 2026 timetable, with no 2027 schedule or prices. We will update this post when it appears. Trex is ahead: the header on its Þórsmörk page already says "Available 2027" with dates of 18 June to 5 September, while the timetable lower down, which has no year, lists Bus 1 from 20 June to 5 September and Bus 2 from 27 June to 24 August. Treat both as provisional until you can book a seat.

Why June? Highland roads open when the snow allows. The Road Administration says "the state of snow cover is the most important factor" in opening mountain roads, and Safetravel notes that F-roads are usually closed from mid September until June or July. If you are planning the Laugavegur for late June 2027, book flights first, then the bus and your hut as soon as dates go on sale.

Bus or guided tour: which is better for a first visit?

The bus is cheaper and gives you more hours on foot. A guided super jeep or hike day costs more but explains the valley and adds canyons the bus never reaches.

On the bus you get about five and a half hours in the valley on a day trip (10:30 to 16:00 from Húsadalur). That is enough for the Valahnúkur loop and a coffee. You walk alone, you read the river yourself, and if the weather turns you wait at a hut.

A guided day starts in the south. Midgard's hike day adds three to five hours on foot with a guide, Stakkholtsgjá and Nauthúsagil, from its base camp in Hvolsvöllur. The super jeep day is mostly driving with short walks. Neither includes the 1.5-hour drive from Reykjavík. Our getting-there guide compares every route in.

Three to five hours on foot with a guide, plus the canyons the bus skips. May to October, from Midgard Base Camp in Hvolsvöllur.

★ 4.9 · 7 hours · from $320

Explore the Þórsmörk hike day → Tour details

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